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Government

DA BRINGS P20/KILO RICE PROGRAM TO BATANES

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. led the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) visit to Batanes, one of the northernmost provinces of the Philippines, to roll out critical support for the local farming and fishing communities. The visit marked the official launch of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s flagship food program–“P20 Benteng Bigas, Meron Na!”–in the province, […]

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Politics

DA TURNS OVER AGRI MACHINERY TO BOHOL FARMERS

The promise of modern mechanization reached Bohol’s farmlands as the Department of Agriculture (DA), through the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech), turned over 45 units of agricultural machinery and equipment to farmers’ cooperatives and associations across the province.The ceremonial awarding at San Jose, Talibon, gathered national and local officials, farmers’ representatives, and […]

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Government

GOV’T EXTENDS BAN ON IMPORTED RICE UNTIL DECEMBER

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the government will extend the ban on rice importation until the end of this year, allow imports only in January 2026, and reimpose the ban in February, to stabilize supply in time for the dry season harvest. Speaking before the House of Representatives’ Committee on Agriculture, Tiu Laurel […]

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Government

DA: PH, JAPAN LOOKING AT MORE AGRICULTURAL TRADE

Philippine Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. and Japanese Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Shinjiro Koizumi met on the sidelines of the 47th ASEAN Agriculture and Forestry Ministers Meeting to discuss deeper bilateral cooperation in agriculture, including enhanced trade, technology transfer, and sustainability efforts. A key focus of the bilateral talks was increasing Philippine […]

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Government

DA EXPANDS P20/KILO RICE PROGRAM TO MASBATE

The National Food Authority (NFA) has mobilized truckloads of rice to storm‑ravaged Masbate—one of multiple relief measures ordered by Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr.—to alleviate the suffering of tens of thousands of families hit by Severe Tropical Storm Opong over the weekend. “For one month in Masbate, we will be selling ₱20 rice to […]

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Government

GOV’T EYES LONGER RICE IMPORT BAN – TIU LAUREL

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is moving to tighten the country’s rice import policy by extending the current two-month import suspension and raising tariffs on foreign rice, in a bid to stabilize palay prices and protect Filipino farmers during the peak of the harvest season. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. made the announcement, saying the […]

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Politics

DA URGED: BRING P20 RICE TO PAMPANGA 1sT DISTRICT

Pampanga First District Representative Carmelo Lazatin, Jr. has filed House Resolution No. 278 requesting the Department of Agriculture (DA) to establish KADIWA ‘Benteng Bigas Meron Na’ Rolling Stores in Pampangas’ 1st District. Officially launched in Batangas on July 10, 2025, the KADIWA Rolling Store is part of the food security programs of President Ferdinand Marcos, […]

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Government

NAUJAN GETS GETS P70M RICE PROCESSING FACILITY

Officials from the Department of Agriculture led the formal turnover of a P70.2-million rice processing facility to farmers in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro—one of the country’s major rice-producing towns. “This is another step toward realizing President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s vision of a modernized agricultural sector—one where farmers are more productive and profitable, food supply is stable, […]

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Government

DA LIFTS IMPORT BAN ON ISRAEL, US POULTRY PRODUCTS

The Department of Agriculture (DA) has lifted its temporary import ban on poultry and related products from Israel and South Dakota in the United States, following the successful containment of recent avian influenza outbreaks in those areas. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. issued separate administrative orders ending the bans, which previously halted the entry […]

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Government

DA OPENS P61M PAMPANGA RICE PROCESSING FACILITY

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. led the inauguration of a P61.7 million Rice Processing System (RPS) in this rice-producing town, marking the fifth such facility established in the province of Pampanga under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF). Designated as RPS 2, the newly inaugurated facility features a multi-stage rice mill with a capacity of up […]